Role of SHGs-Bank Linkage Programme in Women Empowerment: A Block Level Study of Mewat Haryana

Since ancient time in India, it has been evident that women have always placed a very respectable position in the society. Gender equality in different socio economic sphere has always been the top priority among policy makers, decision makers and the government. In the present socio-economic scenario, notions of women empowerment and their security can always be observed in the manifestos of all the political parties and this is the need of hour too for sustainable development. Despite making myriad efforts to the women empowerment, the present socio economic status of women in India is very miserable. In this context, NABARD came ahead to launch Self Help Group (SHG) and bank linkage programme in 1992. These programmes have become a very effective tool of uplifting the socio economic status of poor women. There are adequate facts across the globe to show, how the SHG and bank linkage programme through its functioning can provide productive employment opportunities, safe credit facilities, saving opportunities and thereby can eradicate poverty. However, this programme had started very late in the district of Mewat as compared to other districts in the state of Haryana. Therefore in order to access the success of this particular programme in rural Mewat, an attempt is going to be made to study the pre and post economic condition of women SHG member of Nuh block of Mewat district in Haryana.